Late Surge Rallies Michigan Past Indiana on Senior Day

Sunday, November 3

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

(12-7, 4-2Big Ten)

Indiana

(9-9, 1-5Big Ten)

Team	1	2	Final F
Indiana	0	3	3
Michigan	0	4	4

Late Surge Rallies Michigan Past Indiana on Senior Day

11/3/2013 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Phyllis Ocker Field)
Score: Michigan 4, Indiana 3
Records: U-M (12-7, 4-2 Big Ten), Indiana (9-9, 1-5 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Thursday, Nov. 7 -- vs. Iowa - Big Ten Tournament (Columbus, Ohio), 10 a.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan field hockey team scored three goals in the final 12 minutes to rally from a late two-goal deficit, edging Indiana, 4-3, on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 3) in front of 536 fans at Phyllis Ocker Field. With the comeback victory, the Wolverines wrapped up the home portion of their 2013 schedule with a perfect 8-0 record.

Alice Brown

After a scoreless first half, the two teams traded goals early in the second, before the Hoosiers surged ahead with back-to-back goals midway through the frame. Michigan called a timeout after the latter and responded with elevated pressure in the IU defensive zone, finally breaking through with goal off a corner opportunity. Senior/junior Leslie Smith's (Hummelstown, Pa./Hershey HS) direct shot was blocked by a defender in front, but the ball kicked back to her on the left side, and she ripped it to the nearside corner to pull U-M within one at 58:02.

Michigan struck again three minutes later, taking advantage of a flurry in front to even the score at 61:02. Graduate student Alice Brown (Canterbury, England/Simon Langton Girls' Grammar School) maneuvered around a defender at the top of the circle before winding up and sending a bouncing shot to the lower left corner for the equalizer and her first Michigan goal.

Senior captain Rachael Mack (Bromsgrove, England/Bromsgrove School) netted the game-winner -- her second of the weekend -- in the waning moments of regulation, taking advantage of another U-M corner opportunity to find the backboard at the 68:38 mark. Senior/junior Ainsley McCallister (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) inserted on the right side, and the ball went around the perimeter, from Smith to sophomore Lauren Thomas (Aylesbury, England/Aylesbury HS) to Mack, who rocketed a low shot to the opposite corner.

It was Mack's second marker of the contest. She also tallied U-M's first goal, knotting up the score after Indiana's goal in the first minutes of the half. McCallister initiated the play with a pass into the circle, and Mack spun around a defender and batted it past Hoosier goalkeeper Maggie Olson at 45:33.

Michigan outshot the Hoosiers, 12-6, and outcornered them, 9-2. Fifth-year senior goalkeeper Haley Jones (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) posted one save in the winning effort, while IU's Olson stopped four of U-M's seven shots on goal.

The Wolverines will kick off the 2013 Big Ten Tournament on Thursday (Nov. 7) at Buckeye Varsity Field in Columbus, Ohio. Seeded fourth in the annual conference tournament, Michigan will open first-round competition against Iowa, the No. 5 seed, at 10 a.m. All three tournament first-round games will be broadcast live via the MGoBlue.com All-Access player, while both semifinals and the championship game will air live on the Big Ten Network

GAME SUMMARY

By Periods	1	2	F
Indiana	0	3	3
Michigan	0	4	4

Scoring, Time (Assist)
2nd -- IU, Audra Heilman, 36:41 (Corinne Karch)
2nd -- U-M, Rachael Mack, 45:33 (Ainsley McCallister)
2nd -- IU, Sydney Supica, 49:21 (Emily Bowker, Hannah McDermott)
2nd -- IU, McDermott, 51:41 (Heilman)
2nd -- U-M, Leslie Smith, 58:02 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Alice Brown, 61:02 (unassisted)
2nd -- U-M, Mack, 68:38 (Lauren Thomas)

Shots: U-M 12, IU 6
Saves: U-M 1 (Haley Jones), IU 3 (Maggie Olson)
Defensive Saves: U-M 1, IU 1
Penalty Corners: U-M 9, IU 2

NOTES

• With today's win, Michigan improved to 13-7 in the all-time series against Indiana. U-M has four straight meetings vs. the Hoosiers.

• The Wolverines went 8-0 at Phyllis Ocker Field this season, outscoring their home opposition, 33-9. The last time U-M boasted a perfect home record was 2002 when the Wolverines went 10-0.

• The comeback win is U-M's second in Big Ten play this season. The Wolverines also overcame a two-goal deficit against Iowa (Oct. 5).

• Prior to the contest, the Wolverines honored their five-member graduating class -- graduate student Alice Brown, fifth-year senior Haley Jones and seniors Rachael Mack, Michelle Roberts and Kim Sheaffer.

• Senior Rachael Mack posted her second game-winning goal and seventh of the season. She also boasts five multi-goal efforts on the year.

• Mack owns a career-best 21 goals this season. It shares the fourth spot among U-M's single-season goals leaders. Her previous best was 19, which she tallied last season.

• Graduate student Alice Brown was the 14th different Wolverine player to score a goal this season. She is the fifth to tally her first collegiate goal at Michigan.

QUOTES

Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz
On today's game ... "I think with senior day today, there were a lot of distractions. It was emotional, and sometimes that can work against you. The girls came out a little flat. But I think the mark of a really good team is to be able to play through that, turn it around and win games where you don't have your A game. I was proud of them for that."

On her message during U-M's late timeout ... "The message was just that you control your own destiny, so you have to go out and earn it. They knew that, and they went out and actually did it."

On the late offensive surge ... "Sometimes you don't have your greatest games, and you still have to find a way to win -- and they did. They stayed poised, managed the pressure at the end and executed. I thought that was outstanding. It's indicative of this senior group and its leadership."

U-M Senior Rachael Mack
On the Wolverine comeback ... "We weren't playing very well -- and they were playing quite well. But we came together as a team. We weren't going to lose today. We felt that -- despite being down. We kept coming and kept coming; just kept attacking. We put those goals in, and we won."

On the seniors leading the comeback ... "It's emotional -- the whole idea of playing in your last home game with the girls you've grown up with over the past four years. We came together when we really needed it. That's all you can ask for from a great group of ladies."

On remaining unbeaten at home this season ... "It's awesome. You don't want anybody to come in here and beat you on your home turf. So, it's just a phenomenal feeling. We had a huge crowd here today, and we didn't want to let them down. We didn't want to let the coaches and the team down. We just wanted to win the game."

U-M Graduate Student Alice Brown
On her tying goal and Michigan's win ... "I have to give a little credit to [Rachael] Mack, because I probably stole the ball off of her. It was a really hard game today, and we wanted to make it a final win, before they pull the turf up. It was wonderful -- a whole team effort."

On Michigan's late timeout ... "Sometimes you can get really caught up in a game, and you just need somebody to pump you up. Marcia [Pankratz] is great at that. We just needed a kick up the rear, and we got it from her, and it worked."

On her parents being in town for the weekend ... "They're here in the crowd. It was really nice. A lot of parents came this weekend, so it was good for everyone to meet each other. It was like a whole family weekend. It was lovely."